Im currently doing an experiment on “Preparation of Aspirin”. Why does my pure aspirin have a higher melting point than expected?
Corrie writes ….. How much higher is your melting point? The most likely reason is that your aspirin is impure and contains a significant amount of the starting material, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has a much higher melting point (158 – 160 oC) than aspirin. Try recrystallising your aspirin again using hot water as solvent. Another common reason for higher than expected melting points is heating the sample too quickly when measuring the melting point. Try again, heating more slowly and see if this improves your result. Always carry out a risk assessment and check with your teacher before starting any practical work. Risk assessment Before attempting any practical work based on the advice and suggestions on this website, you must do the following. Identify any hazards, assess the risks from these hazards, and then decide appropriate control measures to reduce the risks. You must have these approved by those in authority in your school or college laboratory. Do not rely on what is sa
